Descriptions of
Tzedakot: A - I
Please note:
Many of the e-mail addresses are the personal accounts of our contacts. They have given us
permission to give them to you, but please direct pertinent questions only.
If the organization has a web page, click on its name to access the page. Please send
corrections to youth@uscj.org.
Abayudaya Jewish Community in Uganda (F1)
This Jewish community in Uganda has been practicing Judaism as they always have, devoutly, spiritually, and disconnected from the world wide Jewish community. The Tikun Olam money raised for Abayudaya community goes directly to these Jews, primarily for books and education. In the past. Tikun Olam has funded the purchasing of Judaic books and the building of a new library for the Abayudaya community.
AHVA (F2)
Headquartered in Bombay, India, AHVA provides various religious community functions,
including the distribution of educational materials. They provide religious
and educational programs for Jewish Youth in India. Tikun Olam funds have helped
to provide for holiday programming and Jewish Educational needs, as well as
food, medicine and clothing.
Akim (D1)
Akim is a voluntary association in Jerusalem and surrounding areas that provides assistance to
mentally retarded and developmentally disabled adults whose old and ailing parents can no longer
care for them at home. Akim provides educational, residential, and leisure time services for
about 1,000 persons, while always researching for new and creative models of service delivery.
Alyn (D2)
The Alyn Woldenberg Orthopedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Center for physically
handicapped children in Israel treats patients up to 18 years of age, offering
physiotherapy, occupational therapy and treatment to disabled children. Alyn
services 100 in-patients, 20 day patients and has a lengthy waiting list. In
the past, our funds have been used for special trips, the outpatient clinic,
music therapy programs and new orthopedic appliances.
Auschwitz Jewish Center
Foundation (F3)
Founded in 1992 when New York businessmen found that there was no appropriate place for people to
mourn and reflect when visiting the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, the Foundation's mission is to
ensure that there will be a lasting Jewish presence in the nearby city of Oswiecim (Auschwitz).
The Foundation's activities are centered around the preservation of the only remaining synagogue
building in Auschwitz, Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot, and the building of an educational and resource
center in an adjacent former Jewish family home. The exhibits in the Center concentrate on the
story of Jewish life in the area prior to the Holocaust.
Bayit Cham (B1)
Bayit Cham (warm house) provides rehabilitation for men and women from all backgrounds who are
referred to them by the Ministry of Health because they are undergoing some kind of personal
crisis. Their clients either live at home or in one of the apartments Bayit Cham has set up to
provide emotional and material support. Their clients are all either working in a placement
through Bayit Cham or enrolled in courses ranging from electronics to the hotel/tourism industry.
Bikur
Cholim Hospital (C1)
This Jerusalem hospital provides all modern medical needs, including new departments
of Ophthalmology; Ear, Nose and Throat; and General Surgery. These new departments
are in addition to clinical laboratories and outpatient clinics. It is the only
hospital in downtown Jerusalem. Our funds help buy specialized equipment needed
by the hospital.
Chai Lifeline/"Camp Simcha" (B2)
Chai Lifeline is designed to help the Jewish patients and families of those dealing with cancer
and other life-threatening diseases. The camp then offers these children a chance to get away
from home and feel/act like the children they are, with specific care for their health needs,
while offering their families a respite from caring for them. All programs are offered free of
charge.
Committee for Ethiopian Jews in Safed (E1)
Over 750 Ethiopian Jews have now settled in the Safed area in Northern Israel. The Committee has
been instrumental in the absorption and resettlement process. They provide for basic needs such
as winter clothing, and also educational and recreational needs, such as computer equipment, new
playgrounds, and summer camp scholarships.
E-mail:
ysivan@hotmail.com
Discretionary Fund (G1)
From time to time emergency situations arise which require immediate action,
and cannot await the annual Allocations Committee Meeting. A limited amount
of funds will be set aside each year to respond to these needs. Decisions as
to the utilization of these funds will be made by the President of USY, the
SATO Vice President and SATO Committee Chairpeople.
Dysautonomia Foundation
(C2)
The foundation promotes research into a rare hereditary disease that afflicts only Ashkenazic
Jews. The disease is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary
processes, such as swallowing, sucking, the opening of the tear ducts, and the awareness of the
sensations of hot and cold. Money is needed to promote extensive research to prevent dysautonomia
in unborn children. Twenty-five percent of all dysautonomic children die by the age of ten
because of complications.
ECRUSY Tikvah Program
(D3)
ECRUSY has teamed up with Camp Ramah in Canada’s Tikvah program to ensure that teens with special needs have a year round Jewish community. These USYers will be able to attend all three of ECRUSY’s regional Kinnusim. The Tikun Olam funds will go towards bringing in trained staff, as well as the facilitation of leadership training for both USYers and staff to ensure full integration.
Emtza Region Special Needs Program (D4)
Emtza Region USY's "L'taken Olam: Bridging the Gap" Special Needs Fund enables USYers with
special needs to attend regional USY events. Emtza Region USY has partnered with the Tikvah
Program of Camp Ramah in Wisconsin to identify and recruit potential USYers, and these funds go
towards the cost of training and bringing specialized staff to the regional USY events.
Ezrat Nashim/Sarah Herzog Memorial
Hospital (C3)
Sarah Herzog is one of Israel's oldest social service organizations, maintaining the Jerusalem
Mental Health Center. The center is a non-profit, private facility that treats and rehabilitates
mentally ill men, women and children. It depends solely on private charitable contributions for
its maintenance.
Far West Hevrah Program (D5)
The Hevrah Program was founded in 1995 by the Far West Region of USY in conjunction with Camp Ramah in California. Based on the Tikvah “Buddy Program” at Camp Ramah, the Hevrah Program brings together Jewish teens with special needs and active USYers. While the Tikvah Buddy Program takes place during the summer at camp, the Hevrah Program is available year-round in an urban setting. The program also provides educational programs for the USYers about the special needs associated with having a disability.
Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism (A1)
The official Israeli address for most of the arms of the Conservative Movement,
the Fuchsberg Center includes a synagogue, a yeshiva, conference space and a
youth hostel, as well as various offices, conducts many outreach programs in
Jerusalem for all segments of the community. Our contribution goes towards providing
scholarship so students can come to Israel and study at the Conservative Yeshiva.
Gan Tazpit (B3)
A diagnostic Kindergarten for the developmentally disabled, there are currently 40 children
between the ages of three and seven at Gan Tazpit. They are grouped in five classes and their
progress is encouraged and recorded by a director, two speech therapists, five teachers, an
occupational therapist, a play therapist, etc. These are all children with delayed development.
As recently as ten years ago, they would have been classified as retarded, and thus doomed to a
lifetime of institutional environment, but now they are treated from an early age in the hope
that they can go on to lead normal lives.
GJARN (F4)
Global Jewish Assistance & Relief Network (GJARN) was established in 1992 to
provide immediate relief and long-term solutions for the needy Jewish communities
in the former Soviet Union (FSU). GJARN has carried out humanitarian distributions,
established an assisted living facility and American Jewish Medical Center in
the Ukraine, and distributed free medication, in addition to helping to renew
Jewish life throughout the FSU. Our contribution goes towards the purchase of
Mezuzot to be distributed to Jewish families in the FSU.
Haifa Center for Children with Learning Disabilities (D6)
The Haifa Center is a school for learning disabled students. The Center provides
enrichment programs for children who are still enrolled in their regular schools.
They also do outreach within the community to try and overcome the stereotypes
of the learning disabled. In the past, Tikun Olam funds have gone towards equipment
for their Special Education kindergarten.
E-mail:
ladder@netvision.net.il
HAMA IL (D7)
Hama Il, Humans and Animals in Mutual Assistance in Israel, is dedicated to Animal Assisted
Therapy, Education, and Activities, but with a difference - the animals they use are primarily
abused animals that have been rescued and saved from death. This in and of itself has a
tremendous impact on the people they work with, which includes rape victims, domestic violence
victims, autistic children, Holocaust survivors, etc. HAMA IL is actively involved in
rehabilitation programs in Israeli hospitals, schools, prisons, crisis intervention and family
guidance clinics and day care centers. USY Pilgrimage groups have recently had the opportunity to
witness the miracles that occur at HAMA IL on a daily basis.
E-mail:
hama-israel@bezeqint.net
Hazon (F5)
Hazon is a Jewish environmental group that creates and supports Jewish projects such as
environmental bike rides. Formed in 1999, Hazon sponsors a cross-country 3,000-mile bike ride, in
addition to a New York environmental bike ride and others. The riders' goals are: to raise
environmental awareness in the Jewish community; to raise money for Jewish environmental
projects; to be positive role models to others, especially young people; and to provide a point
of access to the Jewish community for those who are unaffiliated or uninvolved.
HIAS: Hebrew Immigrant
Aid Society (F6)
The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society is a worldwide migration agency that rescues Jews from
oppression in various countries and resettles them in places where they can live in dignity. Our
funds provide a scholarship for a new Jewish immigrant to pursue college or vocational studies.
Holocaust Documentation Center (F7)
This project, founded by the late Dr. Simon Wiesenthal, has succeeded in bringing many Nazi
War Criminals to justice. The Center is also involved with the documentation of Neo-Nazi
activities as well as those of Holocaust deniers. They are currently in the process of
computerizing all their Nazi files. It is independently funded, and based in Vienna, Austria.
Ilan [Jerusalem] (D8)
The Israel Foundation for Handicapped Children takes care of over 10,000 persons afflicted with
neuromuscular handicaps, including individuals with polio, etc. As the largest voluntary
organization in Israel, ILAN gives medical, educational, vocational, welfare and social attention
and treatment to patients. The Sabin Scholarship Fund provides fees and maintenance for 1950
Polio Epidemic victims. Our funds help to provide special programming for the people at one of
the sheltered workshops in Jerusalem, as well as equipment for their new workshop.
E-mail:
ilanjr@netvision.net.il
Ilan [Haifa] (D9)
Also affiliated with the National Ilan framework (described above), our funds to this branch of
Ilan are being used to construct and equip a sports and rehabilitation center for handicapped
children in Haifa and the Northern part of Israel.
E-mail:
ilanhai@netvision.net.il
Israel Cancer Research Fund (C4)
The Israel Cancer Research Fund was founded in 1975 with the express purpose of enabling young
Israeli scientists to establish and maintain a research career in Israel by funding their most
outstanding cancer research projects. Due to other demands, research money in Israel is in very
short supply, and ICRF seeks to fill the gap between what Israel can afford and what scientists
in Israel need to conduct research at the top-most level. The ICRF uses our contribution to
directly fund laboratory equipment and supplies for cancer researchers in Israel.
Israel Elwyn (D10)
Israel Elwyn provides rehabilitation and training services to children and adults with
disabilities, including persons with developmental disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, autism, and
physical and sensory impairments. Programs include vocational rehabilitation and training,
supported employment, community-based group homes, special education schools, preschool programs,
medical and dental services and adult development centers. Israel Elwyn currently serves more
than 780 individuals in four major locations, in both East and West Jerusalem.
Israel Free Loan
Association (E2)
This is an interest-free loan fund for Russian immigrants to Israel. Examples of purposes for
which loans are given include emergency and unanticipated expenses, health and dental treatment,
school supplies, food, clothing, basic furniture and utensils, basic household repairs, interest
on debts such as mortgage payments, extra hours of homemaker service for the ill and homebound,
expenses for Jewish holidays, college tuition, day care and other basic needs. Maximum grants are
up to $1,000 per family.
Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind (D11)
Founded in 1991 the Israel Guide Dog Center's mission is to help blind people in Israel achieve
independence and mobility. Prior to the opening of the Center, blind Israelis had to travel to
the United States to get guide dogs. Aside from being prohibitively expensive for most Israelis
the situation also posed a language barrier challenge both for the clients as well as the dogs
that had been trained in English. The Center breeds and trains dogs as well as provides follow-up
care for all of its clients to make sure the partnership is working.
Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association (D12)
The former Therapeutic Riding Club was established in 1986. Its purpose is to promote the
recovery of disabled individuals through horseback riding, support related medical research and
to train and certify therapeutic riding instructors. Therapeutic riding helps improve muscle
tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development and emotional and physical well-being.
USY Pilgrimage groups often have the chance to witness the incredible miracles that occur at INTRA daily.
Israel Scouts
[Tzofim] (E3)
The Tzofim (Israel Scouts) are the only youth movement in Israel that is both non-political and
non-sectarian, and one of their goals is to strengthen relationships between Israeli and North
American youth. One of their best-known projects is the Tzofim Friendship Caravan, which visits a
number of USY groups each summer. Our funds are used to sponsor Ethiopian Israelis to join the
Tzofim.
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